Patents Examined by Brian P. Sweeney
  • Patent number: 11975618
    Abstract: A high-voltage charging arrangement (2) is provided for charging a traction battery (20) of an electric vehicle at a DC charging station (4). The DC charging station (4) has a first voltage (Vin) and the traction battery (20) has a second voltage (Vout). At least one DC-DC converter (10) has a first conduction path (12) with a converter (16) for transforming the first voltage (Vin) into the second voltage (Vout) and a second conduction path (14) has a bypass (18) for bypassing the converter (16). A control device (26) communicates with the DC charging station (4) is possible. An input element (28) is provided for selecting a conduction path (12, 14) and is connected to the control device (26) for control purposes. A method also is provided for performing a charging process for a traction battery (20) of an electric vehicle at a DC charging station (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche AG
    Inventors: David Dallinger, Sven Toepler, Leonie Weidenmann, Jana Schilling, Pavithra Rao Kasargod Pattanshetty, Wolf-Georg Rampf
  • Patent number: 11975633
    Abstract: The disclosure provides for a system. The system may include a rotational control system configured to rotate a seat of a vehicle, and one or more computing devices. The one or more computing devices may have one or more processors that are configured to determine that an impact is imminent at a location on the vehicle along a collision axis. A most favorable orientation may be determined by the one or more processors based on the determined location and collision axis. Using the rotational control system, the one or more processors may rotate the seat of the vehicle to the most favorable orientation in order to reduce risks of serious injury to a passenger in the seat caused by the imminent impact. A translational control system may be used by the one or more processors to translate the seat of the vehicle to a position relative to the determined location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Lynn Larner, Courtney McCool, Thomas Daniel, Atul Gupta, Felix Jose Alvarez Rivera, Peter Craig Lombrozo
  • Patent number: 11972022
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for collecting anonymized drive information. A processing device may be configured to receive outputs from one or more sensors; determine at least one motion representation for the host vehicle based on the outputs; receive at least one image representative of an environment of the host vehicle; analyze the at least one image to determine at least one road characteristic associated with a road section; assemble first road segment information relative to a first portion of the road section, wherein the first portion of the road section is separated from a starting point associated with a route traveled by the host vehicle; assemble second road segment information relative to a second portion of the road section; and cause transmission of the first road segment information and the second road segment information to a server for assembly of an autonomous vehicle road navigation model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Kfir Viente, Eli Harel, Achiya Tal Tamir, Maxim Schwartz, Dori Shapira, Nimrod Nehushtan, Yoram Gdalyahu, Daniel Braunstein
  • Patent number: 11958495
    Abstract: A vehicle display control device, includes a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to cause a display unit provided in a vehicle cabin to display an inducement image requesting that an occupant grip a steering wheel in a case in which it is necessary for the occupant to grip the steering wheel, and cause the display unit to display the inducement image more prominently in a case of requesting that the occupant grip the steering wheel before the vehicle switches from an autonomous driving mode to a manual driving mode as the vehicle is continuing to drive autonomously, than in a case of requesting that the occupant continue to grip the steering wheel as the vehicle is continuing to drive autonomously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoaki Takabatake, Koji Kimura, Junji Miyazaki, Ryo Ogata, Yuki Yoshida, Tadashi Morishita
  • Patent number: 11958438
    Abstract: A system and method for managing a tractor-trailer and a method are provided. The system includes: a control server to manage a position of a trailer, identification information on the trailer, and identification information on a tractor matched to the trailer with respect to each hub; a trailer to authenticate the tractor by comparing the identification information, which is received from the control server, on the tractor, with identification information received from the tractor, and to release an electronic parking brake (EPB) when an authentication result for the tractor is correct; and a tractor to authenticate the trailer by comparing the identification information, which is received from the control server, on the trailer with identification information received from the trailer to authenticate the trailer, and to be coupled to the trailer, when an authentication result for the trailer is correct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joo Han Nam, Jong Su Lim, Ki Beom Lee, Sang Hyu Lee, Hyun Jae Bang
  • Patent number: 11959754
    Abstract: Methods for modifying a patrol route of a safety officer include monitoring persons within geographic areas, identifying a safety officer, tracking an elapsed time value for each of the persons indicating a respective quantity of time since a person has been within a threshold proximity to the safety officer, determining a total elapsed time value for each of the geographic areas based on the respective elapsed time values for each of the persons currently located in the geographic area, determining that a patrol route of the safety officer should be modified based on the total elapsed time value for each of the geographic areas, modifying the patrol route of the safety officer, and transmitting the modified patrol route to the safety officer. The modified patrol route indicates that the safety officer is to patrol a given geographic area of the geographic areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Pawel Ciupek, Szymon Sikora, Pawel Jurzak, Tomasz Zajac
  • Patent number: 11951860
    Abstract: The disclosure generally pertains to battery charging management of battery electric vehicles (BEVs). In an example method, a processor generates an operational profile for a first BEV among a number of BEVs. The profile may be based on a mileage accumulation pattern, a parking pattern, and/or a battery charging pattern, detected over an information collection period. The mileage accumulation pattern may be based on the use of the first BEV for commuting from a residence to a workplace. The processor determines an availability of a battery charging outlet in a section of a garage of the residence, and based on the operational profile of the first BEV, identifies a period of time for charging a battery of the first BEV in the garage. The processor then issues a directive to park the first BEV in the section of the garage over the identified period of time for charging the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart Salter, Pietro Buttolo, Jim Baumbick, Annette Huebner, David Kennedy
  • Patent number: 11946752
    Abstract: A multimodal terrestrial transport network (1) includes first and second networks (L1, L5), each of which is equipped with an operating system (SE1, SE2). The module (63) according to the invention is associated with an interchange station (H3) where the first and second networks are interconnected. It includes: an interface (83) for communicating with the operating systems of the first and second networks; means (84) for providing an overview of the traffic in a monitoring area (DS3) covering part of the first and second networks in order to update the overview data based on traffic data provided by the operating systems, and an engine (87) for executing operating rules based on the overview data and suited to generate instructions suited to modify the traffic within a control area (DC3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: ALSTOM HOLDINGS
    Inventors: Pascal Poisson, Manel Abid, Lionel Scremin
  • Patent number: 11938938
    Abstract: A tire noise testing method, a vehicle and a control device that are efficient in an actual vehicle noise test. The method of the invention is conducted while a vehicle is driven automatically. The method includes a step of operating a control unit when the vehicle reaches a predetermined position or reaches a predetermined speed, for putting the vehicle into coast-traveling with a prime mover of the vehicle in a non-driving state. The method further includes a step of operating a measuring unit for measuring the tire noise of the vehicle during the coast-traveling of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryosuke Mori
  • Patent number: 11939742
    Abstract: A type information input unit receives an input of type information for identifying an attachment. A storage unit stores in advance correspondence between the type information and a weight or weight classification of the attachment. A specification unit specifies a corresponding weight or weight classification based on the type information input to the type information input unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Shintani, Yoshito Kumakura, Daiki Arimatsu
  • Patent number: 11938966
    Abstract: Techniques for validating operation of a perception system that is configured to detect objects in an environment of a vehicle are described herein. The techniques may include receiving log data representing a real scenario in which the vehicle was traversing an environment. Based at least in part on the log data, an error may be identified that is associated with an output received from the perception system while the vehicle was traversing the environment. In some examples, a determination may be made that a magnitude of the error violates a perception system requirement, the requirement established based on a determination that the magnitude of the error would contribute to an adverse event in an alternative scenario. Based on the magnitude of the error contributing to the adverse event, data associated with the error may be output for use in updating the perception system to at least meet the requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: Clement Besson, Minsu Jang, Antonio Prioletti, Peng Wang
  • Patent number: 11932423
    Abstract: Computer systems (100) for satellite image acquisition and mission-plan calculation devices (120) for satellite and also Earth observation satellites (110). Based on the observation that the uncertainty connected with meteorological conditions can lead to the development of mission plans, for satellites, with low effectiveness, the uncertainty is characterized and used to improve the preparation of mission plans for satellite. A model of the uncertainties is built upon observations and/or past meteorological forecasts. Next, at the time of planning, the model is used by presenting the observations and/or the current forecast as input to the model. In that way, the acquisition zones for which it is unlikely to get acceptable images on the preferred acquisition date may be identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SAS
    Inventors: BenoƮt Series, Mathieu Picard, Jonathan Guerra
  • Patent number: 11932200
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a powered door having an actuator to move the door between open and closed positions, a transceiver configured to communicate with one or more mobile devices, and an imaging device oriented to capture images in a region proximate to the powered door. A controller processes the captured images and controls the actuator to move the door to the open position when a mobile device is detected proximate the vehicle and a user is detected in the captured images located in a door detection zone. The controller moves the door to the open position when a face of a user is recognized as an authorized user located in the door detection zone. The controller moves the door to the open position when a gait of the user is detected and identifies the gait are indicative of an authorized user located in the door detection zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Lawrence Amadi, Stuart C. Salter, Kristopher Karl Brown
  • Patent number: 11932269
    Abstract: In a control process of a control device of a vehicle, normal-case information and execution-case information are compared, and if at least either compared execution orders of a calculation process or compared output values in steps of the calculation process are different from each other, it is judged that abnormality has occurred, thus providing a control system that enables normal traveling by detecting abnormality in the vehicle even if an unknown cyberattack is performed during traveling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiki Ikegashira
  • Patent number: 11913789
    Abstract: Provided is an inspection management device and the like capable of reducing, by an inspection robot, the number of pieces of measurement data indicating measurement failure. The inspection management device includes: a data analysis unit that determines success or failure in measurement at a measurement position of a structure based on measurement data output from an inspection robot that inspects the structure in accordance with an inspection plan, the measurement data being output each time when the inspection robot performs measurement, and estimates a cause of measurement failure in accordance with a determination result; and an inspection planning unit that corrects the inspection plan based on the estimated cause and outputs the corrected inspection plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroaki Inotsume
  • Patent number: 11913800
    Abstract: Provided is a terminal device and the like that can switch a mode of operation as a terminal device in relation to an on-board device to which the terminal device is attached. A terminal device T that is attached to an attachment target device M and that communicates with the attachment target device M comprises a switching means 1 that switches a mode of operation of the terminal device T on the basis of a state of attachment to the attachment target device M and a state of communication with the attachment target device M.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: PIONEER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukihiro Sato, Hirotatsu Hiruta
  • Patent number: 11904896
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle control device that can ensure riding comfort or safety. A vehicle control device includes a driving plan calculation unit that calculates a drivable area, which is a space in which an own vehicle is safely drivable, based on a driving environment around the own vehicle and a destination of the own vehicle; and a vehicle motion control unit that calculates a target track including a route and a velocity satisfying a predetermined riding comfort condition in the drivable area calculated by the driving plan calculation unit and controls the own vehicle so as to follow the target track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryoh Inaba, Toshiharu Sugawara, Hidehiro Toyoda
  • Patent number: 11904908
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a driving controller configured to control one or both of steering and acceleration or deceleration of a vehicle; and a mode determiner configured to determine a driving mode of the vehicle to be one of a plurality of driving modes including a first driving mode and a second driving mod, in which the second driving mode is a driving mode in which a task imposed on a driver of the vehicle is lighter than that of the first driving mode and one or both of the steering and the acceleration or deceleration are controlled by the driving controller, and to change the driving mode to the first driving mode on the basis of an operating state of a wiper mounted in the vehicle when the driving controller controls the vehicle in the second driving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuma Kobayashi, Yoshifumi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11904902
    Abstract: The technology employs a holistic approach to passenger pickups and other wayfinding situations. This includes identifying where passengers are relative to the vehicle and/or the pickup location. Information synthesis from different sensors, agent behavior prediction models, and real-time situational awareness are employed to identify the likelihood that the passenger to be picked up is at a given location at a particular point in time, with sufficient confidence. The system can provide adaptive navigation by helping passengers understand their distance and direction to the vehicle, for instance using various cues via an app on the person's device. Rider support tools may be provided, which enable a remote agent to interact with a customer via that person's device, such as using the camera on the device to provide wayfinding support to enable the person to find their vehicle. Ride support may also use sensor information from the vehicle when providing wayfinding support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Clement Wright, Lauren Schwendimann, Maria Moon, Kevin Malta, Ganesh Balachandran, Jonathan Pedersen, Daniella Gutlansky
  • Patent number: 11891054
    Abstract: A method includes: receiving, by a computing device, object data regarding a first object detected by a first vehicle, the object data including an object type and a location; storing the object data; generating, based on the object data, navigation data; and sending the navigation data to a second vehicle, the navigation data for use by the second vehicle to control navigation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Lodestar Licensing Group LLC
    Inventor: Gil Golov